A Neverending Journey
by StrawberryObsession
Summary: Eridani Black has been traveling between two dimensions for as long as she can remember, from her home in Wizarding Britain to the magical realms of Middle Earth. Follow her struggles as she deals with being pulled between two worlds. Where does she truly belong and why has Eru summoned her to ME time and again? LotR w/some Silmarillion! OC!
1. First Jump

**First Jump—Laurefindil**

Laurefindil stared out across the barren land known as the Helcaraxe. Icy, treacherous, devoid of life and cheer. Many a Noldor brother and sister lost in the watery depths below. More were lost as they slept in the night, their breath stolen by icy winds. Yet the pilgrimage to Arda continued. His _fea_ wept at the losses. Was it right for them to abandon Aman? Were they being foolish and arrogant for seeking retribution? Perhaps this was the judgment of the Valar.

"Care- vamme nien-, mime nur. Ni am as tye." _Do not weep, my friend. I am with you._

Laurefindil looked aside. "Artanis," he greeted the Noldor elleth. "Mime hon na- lunga, mal ni care- vamme nall-." _My heart is heavy but I do not cry._

Artanis opened her mouth, "Nu—"

A soft whine behind them. The two turned around to see… a child? A wisp of a thing with a pale face and round, grey eyes obscured by wild curls. Both Noldor were taken aback by the sudden appearance. Where did she come from? None in their company had hair so dark a shade. The child's curls were as black as the night surrounding them. In fact, the child looked like no elfling they'd ever seen…

Laurefindil knelt before the child, ignoring the icy feeling numbing his legs. Round grey eyes grew rounder and he heard her breathing accelerate. "Manen did tye túl ana n- símen?" _How did you come to be here?_

"H-huh? I… I don't un-DER-stand what you are say-ing, mis-TUR."

Her words were spoken carefully, deliberately. He could tell she meant them. He just didn't understand them. A look to his traveling companion assured him that he was not alone in his bewilderment. Even more pressing, the child could see the uncertainty on their faces and was valiantly (failing at) holding back her tears.

"Have you… um… Do you maybe know, err…"

Despite not knowing the meaning of her words, Laurefindil found himself charmed by the child. He watched her lose confidence in her words and turn her teary gaze to the frozen floor, hands clutching her bare arms. He cast another survey of their surroundings and found no other strange appearances.

"Tar na- lala er símen an her. Se na- er," he said to Artanis. _There is no one here for her. She is alone._

Unclasping his cloak, he wrapped it around the child. She didn't attempt to communicate with him verbally but her eyes shone. Her gaze was so clear and bright, Laurefindil thought she mightn't need to speak for others to understand her.

"Ni am Laurefindil. Nimeár- me your esse, hinya." _I am Laurefindil. Tell me your name, child._ He was answered with two uncomprehending blinks followed by a blank stare. He repeated his name while gesturing to himself, pointed to Artanis, called her name. He then looked at the little girl expectantly.

Grey eyes light up (how much brighter could they become?) and she began to jump a bit in place.

"Oh, oh," she cried. She slapped her hand against her chest multiple times and he tried not to wince at the force behind each hit. "My name is Eridani! Eridani Black." Quickly, she quieted down and ducked her head. Was she sheepish of her own exuberance? "Eridani," she repeated very softly for one last time, keeping her hand still upon her chest.

"Eridani," Laurefindil repeated, rolling the name around his mouth. He decided he liked the feel of it and wondered at its first part. Eri. Eru.

Eridani smiled and nodded at him. He looked at Artanis beside him.

"Ni fel se túl -o i valaina. Nimeár- Fingolfin -o i hinya. Ni indóme tír- her." _I feel she came from the Valar. Tell Fingolfin of the child. I will watch over her._ Artanis gave him a searching look before leaving to do as bid. Inwardly, Laurefindil worried at the perceived slight Artanis might have felt from his request and decided an apology was in order in the near future. For now, though, his main concern was the child. Her skin, though pale like his and his kin, did not glow with the light of the Firstborn, but he did not understand what it meant. In the age to come, he would learn of the mortals who did not shine with starlight.

 **First Jump—Eridani**

At first, Eridani did not register that she was no longer in Wizarding Britain with her mother and grandmother. She looked around and found that she was surrounded by tall, beautiful, pointy-eared people. None of whom she recognized. Not that she knew any tall, beautiful, pointy-eared people, but she ignored that. The second thing she realized was that it was much colder than it had been a moment before. Before, she had been walking around her mother's garden, cooled by the rain which had just ended, but it hadn't been cool enough to chill the breath leaving her lips!

Shuffling on her feet (thank goodness her rain boots were somewhat effective at keeping her toes warm), she looked more closely at the strangers around her. Most had hair very, very blonde. Privately, she thought her cousin Lucius would be very jealous because everyone's hair was longer and shinier than she remembered his being. Eridani noticed the group of blondes were all walking together and she was on the outer fringes. She decided to walk somewhat with them (After all, it was better to walk together than be left behind in a strange place. Perhaps her mother and grandmother were somewhere in the mass of people?).

Looking at the side profile of their faces, she thought they seemed sad but also a bit angry. Angry-sad? But none of them were talking to each other. Except for two… ladies? No, that one is way too muscular, she thought. A man and a lady. Were they arguing? Eridani felt a cry building up in her throat. Mother and Grandmother were always fighting with each other. Maybe neither were here because they sent her away, because she was so very troublesome for them?

The two people before her stiffened and turned to her, their eyes growing large. Had she surprised them? They were even lovelier as she looked straight at them. She curled a bit into herself. Maybe they would find her too ugly to look at. Draco always complained she was too dirty and looked shameful. The man (His hair was so golden, she thought he might have outshined the galleons her cousins were so proud of. Did he have to run away from goblins who thought he didn't wear hair but strands of gold?) knelt down and looked into her eyes. He seemed remarkably unbothered by the cold.

"Manen did tye túl ana n- símen?"

…what?


	2. Round Trip

**Round Trip—Eridani**

It was like falling asleep. Slowly and then all at once. That was how she realized where she was, what had happened. Again.

The wetness of the grass underfoot surprised her. Eridani looked down at her muddy toes and wiggled them. All ten seemed to be functioning like normal, so why hadn't she noticed the… When had it rained? It had been a clear day, hadn't it? That was why she and 'Findel were going to have a picnic. After what felt like practically an Age (though she knew it was truly only a number of months), he was taking time from working on Ondolindë to be with her for longer than a smattering of days. An entire moon cycle he set aside for her! She was touched. To an ellon as old as he (younger than most but older than she by so great a number she found it inconceivable), she vaguely understood that decades of distance between friends was but a passing moment. That was why she was so surprised when he announced the leave Turukáno granted him, the leave he requested. To please _her_. But where was she now?

Looking around, she felt a niggling familiarity. 'This garden,' she thought. 'I've seen it before. But when?'

Idly, her fingers trailed along one of the thorny vines attached to the stumpy plant before her. It appeared to be long dead, but somehow… she knew it was very much alive. It was supposed to look like this. And the vines… they were supposed to be very active. She _knew_ this plant. Not the species but _this particular_ one, had tended to it carefully. It was a… a…

"A snargaluff," she breathed. _Her_ snargaluff. The word came out awkward and ungainly, but she recognized the truth of it. She'd planted it with her mother. Her mother.

Eridani jerked to attention, startling the bush into a defensive pose. One of the thorns caught her finger, but she ignored the slight sting as she looked wildly about her. This was her mother's garden. Her mother's garden!

"Mardi. Ni'm mardi. Oh, valaina, ni'm mardi! Amil! Amil!" _Home. I'm home. Oh, Valar, I'm home! Mother! Mother!_

She was running blindly, unsure which direction her mother was in. "Mum-my! Mum-my!" Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. The word sounded so foreign but so right. What if her mother was already gone? Had she been worried about her? Had she gone looking? Eridani refused to let her mind linger on negative thoughts, but fear was creeping in the longer she was alone.

"Dani?! Dani, what's wrong?"

A woman, taller than Dani by far but nowhere near as tall as any elleth she'd seen. Wispy brown hair pulled up in a messy bun, furrowed hazel eyes staring at her. Eridani threw herself against the woman. Her clothes were strange-looking, full of colors and shapes lacking symmetry or elegance. Rough stitching scratched Eri's face as she burrowed into them. The smell of dirt and something bitter. The nostalgic smell of her mother, so very comforting. She'd forgotten it years ago.

Eri couldn't decide if she should cling tighter to her mum or back up to take in the sweet sight of her, the details of her face no longer blurred by memories or faded by time. She settled for smearing her face in her mum's garb and speaking into her chest.

"I yen aut- wer so anann! Ni caure ana vamme cen- tye en-!" _The years apart were so long! I was scared to not see you again!_

"What did you say, sweetie? I couldn't understand a word with you pressed so tight to my chest." Gentle fingers wove through Eri's hair.

Slowly, so slowly, the words registered. A language barely learned and lost so quickly, so long ago. She lifted her head to stare at the woman before her—at her _mother_.

"Ah… Ni, ehh." The words. Why couldn't she find the words?!

Gentle eyes roved over Eridani.

"Were you wearing that earlier?" The words were spoken so softly, as if she wasn't aware she was speaking them. Eri knew they were not words she was meant to respond to, but she was frustrated to not know them at all.

"Mummy," she called. Or was it almost a plead? A plead for what? Understanding? Answers? "Missed Mummy. Missed, eh." A pause. "Missed _long_?" She drew the last word out, unsure if she was asking or telling. The hand on her head stilled and Eri held her breath. Her heart was beating so wildly. Could her mother feel it despite all the layers of clothes between them?

"You missed me for a long time? Silly girl, you've barely been in the gardens for ten minutes," she laughed at last, ruffling Eri's hair. Eri didn't understand all of the words (read: most), but somehow she knew she wouldn't have liked them.

After spending a couple hours reacquainting herself with her mother (really just following her around while hanging onto her clothes, listening but not understanding) and reassuring herself (frequently) that her mother was there (and not vanishing into thin air), Eri would return to her snargaluff. After all, she had a lunch date with 'Findel and he always picked her up when it was time to eat.

But not this time. This time he never came.

 **Round Trip—Persephone**

From the moment she first held her sweet, sweet Dani, all covered in sticky fluid with her face pinched in discomfort, Persephone knew she was special.

 _Dani was born during the vernal equinox, during the festival of Alban Eilir, and all of Persephone's closest sisters and friends were there to bless her first (and only) child._

 _"_ _It's hard to tell—all children look much the same, to me—but I imagine that she'll be very lovely in the years to come," an airy voice spoke as Persephone recovered from her labor._

 _Persephone smiled at the newcomer. "Pan," she greeted her dearest friend. "You're late."_

 _Pale blue eyes twinkled at her. "Am I?" Pandora questioned, tucking one of Persephone's flyaway curls behind her ear. "Because it looks to me like I missed all the gross, messy parts."_

 _Both friends broke into quiet laughs._

 _"_ _I didn't think you would make it. It happened so suddenly and no one was expecting it. She wasn't supposed to come for two more weeks. Though Saoirse had said tonight would be eventful…" Persephone trailed off at the thought. Had one of her sisters prophesized this and no one told her? She shook her head. No matter, all ended well._

 _"_ _Besides," she continued, "you also gave birth not too long ago. Has it even been a month?"_

 _"_ _Bah," Pandora scoffed. "Nothing can keep me down. And, in fact, it_ has _been over a month. Don't act like your mind is so addled it can't function." Persephone scrunched her nose as Pandora tweaked it. "Anyways, Xeno is so smitten with the little moon that I felt bad she obviously prefers me, so I granted him this special alone time. When I knew she'd be sleeping."_

 _"_ _Pan!"_

 _Both women fell into helpless giggles again, only breaking apart when little arms weakly thwacked Pandora's face._

 _"_ _Nmmuh, mmmmhwaa," Eridani moaned softly, hands clumsily reaching around Pandora's face. The white meadowsweet blossoms in her hair seemed to stretch, reaching for Eridani as eagerly as she was for them._

 _Stunned, Pandora tilted her head down so very gently and allowed the flowers to fall into the newborn's arms. Her tiny hands were not nimble enough to properly hold onto the stems, but Eridani delighted in rubbing her cheek against the silky petals and cooed quietly before promptly succumbing to exhaustion._

 _"_ _Well," Persephone started, "I have a very good feeling about her future in plant lore."_

In what felt like the blink of an eye, her baby girl turned one, and then two, and now three (pushing on four—almost four years old already!). And Persephone was as baffled by her daughter as she'd ever been. Dani had always been very loving to her but she'd never been quite this… clingy. Some small part of her was inordinately pleased, flattered by this level of devotion she was ashamed to admit, but a larger part was perplexed and concerned (though she played it off with a laugh).

What could have happened in those few minutes that so devastated her cheerful baby? And who was this Dani kept looking for? Persephone had never heard of any 'Feen-dell' before. Even more worrying, Dani had gone from having an astounding level of comprehensive and communicative skills to almost none (of the latter, at least. She was undecided on the former for now). Persephone decided to wait a day (out of a foolish hope that this was a passing affliction) before seeking outside help.

Those plans were quickly derailed when Dani's paternal grandmother chose today of all days to stop by for a surprise visit.

.

.

.

 **A/N: Just to clarify, Persephone calls Pandora her sister but they aren't blood. They're sisters in the same sense as a sisterhood. And if it wasn't obvious, Eridani has been gone for an unspecified amount of time in Middle Earth but her physical appearance has not changed.**


	3. Inconsistencies

**Inconsistencies—Persephone**

Four months had passed since The Incident (dubbed courtesy of Pandora) and the start of Walburga's insistence on bi-weekly visits with her only grandchild. Perhaps 'visit' is too maternal a word for the situation.

 _Imposed lessons_ , Persephone thought, _would be more fitting_.

Despite (or, rather, in spite of) Persephone repeatedly asserting her ability to (re)educate Dani, Walburga thought now was the time to teach Dani about her paternal heritage. As if Persephone was denying Dani the right to learn about her father! Just thinking about the old bag's implications made her bristle all over again.

 _"_ _Eridani needs the chance to learn about her father's society. I don't deny that I also would like to pass down some Black family magics to the last_ true _Black. Not that you and your… sisters'…hedge witch practices aren't magi—"_

 _"_ Druids _, Lady Black," she'd cut in. "We aren't hedge witches but druids. And our history is just as important as your Sacred Twenty-Eight's. Our legacy predates the Common Era by at_ least _four centuries. Merlin and Morgana by even more."_

 _Walburga stared for a moment before giving a thin smile._

 _"_ _Of course, child."_

Child. She'd called her a _child_. Damn crone. Persephone had ranted about it to Pandora for hours while Luna and Dani did… whatever they were doing in the dirt. Luna had been babbling about some creature her father had told her about and Dani was faithfully trotting behind her, listening attentively with eyes roving the gardens in fascination.

To the delight of all, Eridani had quickly regained her ability to communicate in English, though Persephone still heard Dani whisper to herself in that nonsense language.

 _"_ _It's not nonsense, Mummy. It's Quenya. That's what the High Elves speak," Dani would repeatedly correct._

 _"_ _Regardless," Walburga always interjects, "in English, we do not roll our r's nor do we have that odd habit of pronouncing our l's like h's."_

As much as Persephone wanted to encourage Eridani's imagination and creativity, she could not encourage this fascination with elves her daughter had. At least, not these 'Firstborn elves' which were extraordinarily tall and beautiful. The magical abilities and pointy ears, Persephone could accept, but who had ever heard of a tall elf?

No, Persephone did not believe. But two others did. Xenophilius (odd man) and Luna were Dani's greatest champions and always had new questions to ask her daughter about her adventures with 'Laurefindil' or the faceless evil Morgoth. And Dani always had an answer, albeit the answer was oftentimes an 'I never thought to ask, but let me write it down and when 'Findel comes to pick me up I'll ask for you' to Xenophilius. Persephone suspected at least a third of those questions came from Pandora who chose to remain silent on the topic of belief for her sake.

Reluctantly, Persephone admitted to herself that her adamant dislike of these stories might have derived from the hero worship she could see in Dani's eyes whenever she mentioned her golden-haired savior.

One unexpected side-effect (though it really should have been obvious) of the Lovegood family's staunch support, most of Eridani's English skills revolved around the questionable creatures the Lovegoods researched. The most frequent complaint she heard from Dani was that the ever-present wrackspurts were making it difficult for her to speak in English. On the bright side, Persephone could practically see the smoke coming from Walburga's ears when Dani would say this within her hearing.

Thankfully, it was finally Yule, so Walburga could be distracted from lecturing Persephone's parenting by her niece and grandnephew. Although she would have loved to celebrate with her druid sisters, Persephone knew it was important for Dani to have a close friendship with her cousins, the Malfoys. Also, she could see when the time to concede to the nagging hag was and this was one of those times.

It didn't hurt that Narcissa was excellent at finding high-quality furniture that was fashionable and comfortable, Persephone thought, settling further into the double chaise lounge. Watching the little snot Narcissa raised, she silently patted herself on the back for how well Dani has turned out so far. There were times she felt a crippling fear about her abilities as a mum (i.e. The Incident) and this was the greatest reassurance she could have received. Well, second greatest. The greatest would be when Eridani was all grown up and raising a family of her own. That was the ultimate goal: to raise a decent witch.

" _Dray_ -co, no!"

Persephone winced. She could celebrate her success when Dani didn't have that odd, hesitating speech impediment, cute as it was. Turning to the sudden disturbance, she saw the two children kneeling by a potted plant. Draco was shooting Narcissa a deer in the _lumos_ look and Dani, near tears, had one of his hands in a firm grip. Clutched in his hand was a sprig of yew. Persephone could see evidence of the crude way it was torn from the potted sapling in the long strip of bark and wood attached to the sprig.

Sighing, she stood up, ready to fetch her sensitive flower child.

"Can't you hear it? She's cry-ing?" Dani sobbed, gently taking the sprig from her cousin's hand.

"Honey," Persephone started. "It's okay. See it still has plenty of—"

She cut herself off. Kneeling with a look of intense concentration, Eridani was replacing the torn limb and Persephone could see fibers forming on the sapling to reconnect the pathways. Bewildered, she turned to the two other women in the room. Were they seeing what she was seeing? Two equally shocked expressions greeted her. The room was silent as everyone watched Dani work. After another minute, Dani let out a soft huff of air and leaned back on her arms.

"There," she proudly stated.

Draco leaned forward. "Is it okay? I didn't mean for that much to come off."

Dani gave two strong affirmative nods.

"Yeah, she should be fine now. I would be gentle with her for the next week or so and make sure she has plenty of water. But not too much, because we don't want her roots to—"

"Dani," Persephone called. Grey eyes looked up at her, squinted. Persephone wasn't one for cutting her child off mid-sentence. "Where did you learn how to do that? That was very advanced and I don't remember anyone else performing such a task around you."

Dani looked at her for a long moment and Persephone wondered if she'd spoken too quickly for her to understand. She opened her mouth but closed it as Dani also prepared to speak. Good, she wasn't sure if she was about to drop the question or repeat it slower.

"I learned it from 'Findel. He and his friends talk to the trees and they taught me how to do it to. I told you already. Remember? The ents?"

She did not remember, but that didn't mean much. She often let indulged Dani by letting her tell those fanciful stories of Arda but rarely did Persephone actively listen to her. The real question was, when did her three-year old learn how to direct her magic? Especially when she should still be having bursts of accidental magic? And now that she thought about it, had there been any bursts at all in the past four months?

There hadn't been.

Persephone convinced herself that Dani learned by watching her. Druid magic very rarely required a wand and Persephone was good at using small wandless magics, like making the curtains open by themselves when she entered a dark room. Yes, that would make sense. That's the only possible explanation.

She did not think to explain how Dani 'heard' the sapling cry.

 **Inconsistencies—Laurefindil**

News of the foundling child spread quickly to all in Fingolfin's company, but few actually interacted with Eridani during the long walk, distrustful. They had been hurt before too many times by one of their own. Surely an outsider would have fewer qualms when betraying their compassion.

 _Perhaps she was not a gift from Eru like Laurefindil thought_ , they said. _She could be a trick to further impede our quest, sent by Fëanor. Already, his hands are stained by the blood of the Teleri and the Noldor lost to this treacherous walk. He means to torment us with this beguiling creature_.

And so they kept their distance. It took Fingolfin's host twenty-seven years to reach Beleriand from Valinor and Eridani arrived from suddenly in the thirteenth year of their journey. For fifteen years, Eri's only companion was Laurefindil. Fingolfin accepted her presence among his host but was preoccupied in leading the host and in his grief for those fallen along the way including his wife. Artanis—now known as Galadriel—had left for Doriath, choosing to live among the Sindar elves in High King Thingol's realm once they reached Arda. Laurefindil also took on a Sindar name, Glorfindel, though Eri complained that his Quenya name was much prettier (she was having difficulty learning Sindarin after speaking only Quenya and bits of Eengleesh for their pilgrimage).

When the remaining host of Fingolfin (as well as the Sindar elves who joined after meeting in Arda) finally chose to settle, beginning construction for the great city Ondolindë, Eri found herself surrounded by curious elves.

 _Look_ , they murmured. _The child looks like one of the Second Born, but she does not grow and age like they do. Even one of the First Born elflings would have shown some change by now. It is as if she is frozen._

Laurefindil tried to shield Eri from such talk, mindful she did not understand her oddness. There were no mortals in their company and she had never seen a creature die of old age throughout their journey. Nor had she shown as much discomfort in the chill of the Helcaraxe after that first night. Though, in truth, she slept so often in that first year that he and Artanis often worried she had succumbed to cold and died. Her fortitude astounded them.

"Whime care- te tiril-?" she asked, looking up at him from her seat in his lap. _Why do they stare?_

"Tye ar too írima a onna. Te ar esse caia," he replied, listening to her squeal as he tickled her sides. _You are too lovely a creature. They are in awe_.

"Lare, ni am lala onna, sillime 'Findel!" She giggled, wriggling in his grasp. _Stop, I am no creature, silly 'Findel!_

"Oh?" he questioned, not relenting in his attack.

"Lare!" Eri took in quick, shaking breaths. "Lare, ni…maure…ana suime!" _Stop, I…need… to breath!_

In truth, he wasn't planning to cease just yet. But something stopped him. Just as he was readying his ultimate, final strike, _something_ pushed him back. Not far, but his hands were repelled from Eridani without his consent and with no perpetrator in sight. As he tried to make sense of it, Eri collapsed in his lap, chest heaving up in down with large gulps of air.

" Tye linne too hae. Sinte i pel ana sí _games_ ," she scolded as she calmed. _You go too far. Know the limits to these_ games. She sometimes used a word or phrase from her home in Eengland (or was it Breeten? Eridani often got her words confused and said contradictory information) and _games_ was her word for playing.

"Ah, apsene- me, melin er," he said at last. _Ah, forgive me, dear one_. Perhaps his hands were stilled by mercy. Or guilt.

This was one (of many) odd occurrences surrounding his sweet, confusing charge. None in their company would recognize the signs for what they were until a more dramatic event. After which, they would call on one of the Maia to investigate.


	4. Longing

**Longing—Eridani**

Late at night after Mummy went to bed, Eri liked to sneak into the rear gardens and sit by her snargaluff. On cool nights like this one, she carried blankets with her so that she might watch the stars in comfort.

Tirelessly, her eyes searched the sky. She'd watched the paths of these stars for half a year now but still had found none of the ones she was looking for. Her gran and many cousins would spend hours teaching her about these constellations, the myths associated with each, the ones family members had been named after.

.

.

 _"_ _And that one there," a finger pointing to the brightest star in the constellation they'd been discussing, "is your father's."_

 _Eridani looked at it for the barest of moments. She thought it looked a little blue. She wiggled her toes—the coldness of it reminded her of the long walk across the Helcaraxe._

 _"_ _Which one is mine?" She didn't like when they spoke of that distant figure she only knew of through portraits and by word of mouth. A sense of wrongness she couldn't shake._

 _Her cousin looked at the star for another long moment, unblinking. Eri thought she seemed very far away, as distant as the star that had her so captivated._

 _"_ _Cissy?" she hedged softly._

 _Narcissa swallowed heavily and looked down at her small cousin._

 _"_ _You, Eridani, were not named for a star but an entire constellation. Eridanus. Also known as the Celestial River," Narcissa explained, tracing one of Eri's rosy cheeks with a thumb. "We can't see it from here because it's much further south."_

 _Eri hummed._

 _"_ _You look a lot like him, you know," Narcissa murmured._

 _"_ _Okay."_

 _She avoided her cousin's gaze until Narcissa moved onto the next constellation._

.

.

"Whime pole- ni vamme hir tien?" Eri cried, hiding her face in her knees in frustration. _Why can I not find them?_

She should have been able to find them if she was upside down on the other side of the Sundering Seas. She had been taught so diligently by 'Findel just in case she ever needed to find her way.

"Ni ósanwe ni istima tien ehtelë." _I thought I learned them well._

She heard the footsteps but did not acknowledge them. Strong hands reached under her knees and behind her back, picking her up and settling her into Mummy's lap.

"You would see the stars better if you did not bury your face."

"I did not want to see them," Eri replied mulishly.

"Oh?" Her mother's voice was playfully questioning. "Then what other reason would my child be outside when she should be asleep in her bed? Playing with faeries? Checking the gardens for pesky little gnomes?"

She shrugged. Eri felt more than heard her mother sigh.

"Dani."

Another shrug.

"Dani—"

 **Longing—Persephone**

Persephone knew Dani snuck out at night, had known since she first started six months, one week, and three days ago. She followed her out there every night, hoping that each night would be the last, that her once-happy little girl would finally be at peace. That Dani would be satisfied with the life they had together.

Another, irrational, part of her worried that one night Dani would go out to her bush and disappear, off to that magical Arda she was so enthralled by.

Maybe she was being overly sensitive, but Persephone worried that Dani loved that dream land of hers more than the actual one. More than her.

 _I mean_ , she reasoned. _I_ know _Dani loves me. She showers me with affection every day._

Still, Dani never came to her with any of her worries, did not confide her hopes and fears. Wasn't she supposed to be her daughter's world? At least for the first five years or so?

"Whime pole- ni vamme hir tien? Ni ósanwe ni istima tien ehtelë."

Eridani's dark curls were wild (probably from when Persephone tucked her into bed and Dani pretended to go to sleep) and, though Pandora could not see her face, she was sure there were tears running from Dani's eyes. She looked so very small and lonesome, sitting beside a gently rustling (and oddly affectionate) snargaluff.

 _That's it_ , she decided. _This has gone on for far too long already._

She really should have intervened much sooner but she let her insecurities as a good mother get the better of her instead. Pandora told her to buck up long ago and that, good mum or bad mum, she was Dani's only mum and had the obligation to do her best.

Persephone dropped the silencing and disillusionment charms, confidently (or pretending to, at least) heading towards her mournful child before picking her up, cradling her to her chest like a babe. An annoying voice in her head (that sounded a bit too much like Pandora) laughed as Persephone had to work a bit harder than she expected to maneuver Dani into her lap.

 _She's growing so fast. I won't be able to do this for much longer._

She tried for levity, hoping to ease the tension in those small shoulders, but that conversation was quickly shut down by the uncooperative four year old. Dani had never been a particularly rude child (nothing like her cousin Draco, thank Merlin) but this cold shoulder treatment was chafing.

"Dani," she began. A shrug. More firmly, "Dani. _Look at me_."

The little one paused before slowly lifting her head. Persephone stared into grey eyes, clouded and teary.

"I know these past few months have been difficult." Inwardly she scoffed. 'Difficult' was putting it lightly. "For all of us. And I don't pretend to understand what you are thinking or working through on your own."

Dani was looking at her (or through her?), blinking slowly. Was she reaching her?

"But you aren't alone, sweetie. You have me and Gran and Aunt Pan and Luna and your cousins. You are surrounded by people who love you, Eridani. You are _so_ _loved_."

Persephone felt her voice catching as she fought the tears welling up in her eyes. Dani seemed more grounded, listening more closely to her words.

 _I hope this is working_ , she thought.

"You're hurting and holding it in all on your own, but you don't need to. Tell us. Someone. Anyone who loves you. You will feel lighter and we will too because we're all worried about you. You laugh and play and show us your love, but I have not seen you truly happy or at peace in so long. And it scares me. You used to be filled with so much light and joy, but right now you're… You're hollow. Something is missing. Tell me."

They were both crying by now. It took Dani another handful of minutes to gather herself. She leaned further into Persephone and looked up at the stars.

At last (Persephone had started to despair that her daughter would never trust her with her secrets), "The stars are different here. I can't read them and they don't speak to me."

Persephone was unsure what to say to that, so she said nothing.

"Laurefindil taught them to me. Like how Cissy does with these now. But those stars didn't have stories like these. 'Findel said that Iluvatar placed each one carefully as signs in the heavens of Arda. He and his kin woke up under them. They were the first things the elves saw when they were created, before there was even a sun or moon."

Dani wiped her running nose on a sleeve. Persephone had never heard Dani mention an Iluvatar before but did not voice her question. Dani was finally speaking.

"He taught me so carefully. In case I ever needed guidance from the Valar. He always worried something would happen but I didn't. I knew he'd always be there to protect me. He was good at it. But…but then I came…home."

Silence. Did Dani still think of their home as _home_? What was she really thinking?

"A-and I was happy to see you, Mummy. I really did miss you. But what about 'Findel? What if he's worried about me like I worried about you? What if he's lonely? I never saw him with any friends… but maybe that's because of me. For a long time, most of the Noldor ignored me. And I couldn't speak Sindarin well enough to really know any of those elves."

"How could anyone not like my sweet Dani?"

Eridani's back straightened quickly. Maybe she'd forgotten she was telling a story to her mum and not just speaking aloud. Like how Persephone had forgotten her silent promise to not interrupt Dani's story.

"Oh," Dani said. "Err… I- uh, I never really… knew." She turned her head slightly to look Persephone in the eye before quickly facing the front again. "I mean, 'Findel said that they were 'in awe' of me, but… I think I scared them. They didn't like that I arrived without warning or that I… Sometimes when I would get scared or something, I caused accidents."

Accidental magic? Persephone couldn't remember any instances where Dani did anything destructive. Sure, she'd levitate small objects to her or help plants grow, but she'd never caused anything to break or explode.

She must have had a worried expression on her face because when Dani shot another glance behind, she hurriedly assured Persephone.

"I don't do it anymore, though!" Dani was now completely turned around in Persephone's lap, body leaning forward, eyes wide. "They taught me how to control myself! To be… uh…um." Dani hung her head. "Sorry, I don't know the word."

"Well," Persephone began. "How else can you say it?"

Dani tilted her head and screwed her brows together. This was her 'thinking hard' face.

"They wanted me to… If I misbehaved, I had to accept my punishment without complaint. Because I knew what I was s'posed to do and I chose not to."

"Responsible?" she asked. "Where they wanting you to be responsible?"

"Er, maybe?"

"It's when you answer for your own actions. Or you do your job without being told to. Because you're a big girl."

They were having an actual teaching, mother-daughter bonding moment! Persephone was (barely) keeping herself from squealing excitedly.

"Oh. Then yes. They wanted me to be rez-pon-see-bull." Dani looked very pleased with her new word.

"Tell me more."

Dani looked up at her, eyes shining, and Persephone smiled gently at her. She spent the rest of the night (and a bit of the early morning) listening to Dani animatedly tell the stories of her time in Arda. And this time, Persephone actually listened.

 _..and her hair was sooo beautiful! It was a mix of silver and gold and…_

 _Oh really? How did she care for it? Maybe she can teach Mummy some tricks._

 _And it was just ice. Ice for as far as I could see in all directions. 'Findel could see further than I and it was the same for…_

 _…_ _ese Sindar elves joined our company. I don't really know what happened—'Findel didn't like to let me listen to those stories—but they seemed really upset about something Fingolfin's brother did back in…_

 _…_ _long story! How did you stay so small?_

 _…_ _don't know. But the Maia said…_

 _Well, you seem to be catching up for lost time! You've already grown two…_

 _…_ _think 'Findel will recognize me if I grow big?_

 _…_ _were me, I would recognize you when you were wrinkled and your beautiful dark hair was gray and your teeth had all fallen out and-_

 _Teeth do that twice?!_

 _Laughter._

 **Longing—Glorfindel**

He didn't believe it at first. Refused to. That, just as suddenly as the Valar had thrust Eridani into his life, they had taken her back. It was unnecessarily cruel. She'd been his charge, his ward, his world. And he'd never been given the chance to say farewell.

Even now, more than a century later, he still pained to think of her and the hole left behind. Sure, he found comfort in his duties and his friends. They'd finally finished construction of the White City, the hidden elven haven. When Eri had been here, they were calling it Ondolindë but now it was known as Gondolin. Ecthelion, his dearest friend, was his strongest pillar of support after Eri's sudden departure but even he was unable to keep Glorfindel's mind from lingering on thoughts of Eri.

Was she safely returned to her mother? Was she keeping warm? Did she eat enough? Had she finally started to eat her vegetables (without putting up too much of a fight) or was she still holding on to her preoccupation with sweets?

Had she already grown up? Did she form a family of her own and tell her children stories of the elves that raised her?

Had she already used up her mortal years?

It was torture, asking himself these questions despite knowing finding answers was nigh impossible. Still, he had to ask. Still, he held onto her belongings—the clothes and toys she left behind—just in case she ever returned. He kept them in the room he'd built for her in (their) his house. The one he was going to show her after they returned from the picnic that never was.

Perhaps that was why the Valar stole her away. Because she was not his child to keep and he'd forgotten.

"Glorfindel!" Ecthelion, all gleaming armor and dark hair, called out to him. "Glorfindel, why have you not made haste? Egalmoth and the White Lady Aredhel are waiting."

Glorfindel, sat at his kitchen table, looked around after being startle by the sudden intruder.

"Apologies," he murmured, fingers still tracing the small child-size bowl he'd rediscovered while packing provisions. "I was lost in my thoughts."

Ecthelion looked solemnly at his brother in all but blood.

"Well," he started with forced lightness, "now you aren't. So ready your things for we must be off. We have far to go and will not return for some time." That said, he slapped Glorfindel firmly on the back and pushed him out of the kitchen. "I'll handle the food while you gather your other belongings."

Glorfindel eyed his friend for a moment before giving a shallow nod.

"Thank you, _mellon nin_."

The Noldor elf acted like he hadn't said anything (though how could he not have) so Glorfindel laughed and left to quickly finish packing.

.

.

 **A/N: I have taken some creative license with the HP-verse timeline. According to canon, Dani's father and Walburga would have died before 1991 (Dani was born in March of '93) so just go with it, please. Also, in the last section, Glorfindel and Ecthelion are speaking in Sindarin, but I am not going to google (probably faulty) translations when there is only one language being spoken in a scene. If anything is confusing, please let me know (via review or PM) and I will address it. It's only me (no Beta-reader) so I expect there are multiple mistakes or inconsistencies I haven't noticed. Sorry.**


	5. Growing Pains

**Growing Pains—Eridani**

It was a perfect day. The sky was clear and the air was warm. Mummy and Auntie Pan were giggling under the apple tree (most likely planning a prank on an unsuspecting Uncle Xeno sleeping nearby). Her and Luna had found a colony of bowtruckles living on a rowan tree by the small creek that marked the southern boundary of her family's property.

"It is most unusual," Eri remarked, laying on her stomach and watching a bowtruckle rearranging the fallen leaves around the tree's trunk. The stick-like creature moved in stiff, hesitating motions, frequently turning its head to face the two seven-year olds. Perhaps it knew they weren't threats to its or its tree's safety (if it had, it and its tree-mates would have attacked them) but was keeping a watchful eye on them in case of mischief.

 _Or_ , Eri thought to herself, _maybe it's feeling shy?_ She'd been keeping what seemed like a respectful distance, but Luna's nose was (maybe) three and a half inches away from the skittish thing.

 _And those spectacles make her eyes seem much, much larger than normal (which was quite large already)._

"What is, Dani?" Luna asked. "I think it looks like a perfectly ordinary bowtruckle, only a little bit more stick-like." She turned to her with a pout. Had she stared so closely because of what Eri said? Even the bowtruckle seemed slightly perturbed but Eri was unsure which comment it was bothered by.

"Not him, Luna. The colony." Eri looked up the rowan. "Not that this isn't a perfectly good rowan tree," she continued. It wouldn't do to further insult the bowtruckle or its home. "But according to Mummy's book, bowtruckles live almost exclusively in Wiggentrees and act as their guardians. Then again, Wiggentrees are a variety of rowan trees but if these trees were just as acceptable, why wouldn't the author have said that? Or maybe the author wrote that when there were more Wiggentrees… It _is_ from the early 1920s. Could be a lack of available options required them to adapt."

Eri continued to gaze at the tree, but the image was superimposed by a different tree. Older, wider, and with silver leaves.

 _._

 _._

 _They'd been walking along the thick limbs of the canopy. Well, 'Findel was walking along them. She was riding on his shoulders. Eri liked this position best. Sunlight filtered through the trees and onto Laurefindil's golden hair, the strands shining with a pale green tint._

 _"_ _Ai! Do be gentle, little one. If you tug my hair so, I will soon have none left," Laurefindil called back to her._

 _She stuck her tongue out at the back of his head. He heard (and correctly interpreted) the action._

 _"_ _You wound me, dearest. Is your favor so easily lost after a small scolding? Even one of self-preservation?" His tone was still light and playful, so she knew he spoke in jest._

 _"_ _Is your head so tender that my attempts at braiding feel painful?" She tried to act like she'd taken offense, but a giggle leaking through gave her away._

 _"_ _Is that what you were doing?" He sounded genuinely alarmed this time. She wasn't_ that _bad at braiding. "But you are indeed! It took three ellon to unravel the mess you made of Liriel's hair when he watched you last month."_

 _Eri couldn't decide if she'd accidentally spoken aloud or if his fea sensed her disbelief._

 _"_ _And it has been unbelievably difficult to find someone to watch you when I have patrol shift or other duties to attend," he continued, either unaware or ignoring that she was no longer paying him mind._

 _"_ _Ah!" he suddenly exclaimed, startling her back to attention. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it?" Laurefindil shot a look at her over his shoulder._

 _Eri stared at the leaves overhead. The beams of light breaching the canopy made a beautiful picture. She could see particles of dust or pollen floating in the air. Small tawny birds chirped at the pair passing beneath. Maybe they were saying hello._

 _"_ _I admit to nothing but needing more lessons in braiding," she laughed after the ellon beneath her rolled his shoulders._

 _"_ _My, what happened to that sweet little thing that used to follow me around and do as bid with nary a complaint? She was such a cute and charm—"_

 _"_ She _," Eri forcefully cut, "learned how to speak the language."_

 _Laurefindil laughed, "Is that where I went wrong? If only I could turn back time and warn my past self of this folly, I would have such peace."_

 _"_ _Laure-fin-dil!" She gave an unforgiving tug on his hair with each syllable. "You take that back! You- you- You_ bully _!"_

 _"_ _Ah, I am unsure what '_ boo-lee _' means, but I assure you: I am not the one at fault here."_

 _"_ _Why you—"_

 _"_ _In fact," he continued, "look at this forest. It is most beautiful, yes?"_

 _Eri paused, reeling from the sudden shift in conversation._

 _"_ _Err, I suppose it is fairly pleasing to the eye," she said. Laurefindil chuckled. He could probably tell she was being difficult on purpose and thought her ploy all too plain to see. She scowled. Of course it was too obvious, she'd complimented it by gawking almost the entire walk._

 _"_ _That is because they are tended to, herded."_

 _"_ _How can someone herd a tree? Trees don't move. Except to go up. Other than that, they stand still."_

 _"_ _They surely do move! And some of the more awake ones can even talk."_

 _"_ _Talking trees?! There's no way! They have no mouths to form words." It was inconceivable. Eri decided 'Findel was having a go at her. Well she wasn't going to fall for it, no sir!_

 _"_ _Why, Eridani, do not be so blind. Have I not taught you how to communicate with more than words? You know about fea and how to read the stars. You can hear emotions in music. You can tell when someone is scared or happy without speaking."_

 _She felt a flush building up in her cheeks and ears, thankful 'Findel was looking ahead and not back at her._

 _"_ _But I suppose you are partially right," he continued. "Trees do not have mouths. But Ents do and they are tree-herders."_

 _Her face scrunched up. What was an Ent?_

 _"_ _You'd know, dear one, if you paid more attention to your Sindarian lessons or spoke to the Sindar elves. They, and perhaps a few other elves, began it. Waking them up, teaching them to speak."_

 _Eri looked at the forest around them._

 _"_ _Do they hear us talking about them? Will they move even if the Ent isn't here?"_

 _"_ _Even if they can hear us, they might not understand Quenya. The Ents speak Entish, so there probably hasn't been a need."_

 _"_ _That doesn't answer my question."_

 _._

 _._

"OW!" Eridani rubbed at the space between her eyebrows, sending a scathing glare toward her best friend. "By the Valar, what on earth was that for?"

Luna stared at her, blue eyes unblinking and forefinger still hanging in mid-air post-flick. She tilted her head.

"You'd gone quiet. I thought a wrackspurt must have gone in one of your ears and made your brain go all fuzzy."

"Oh," Eri said quietly. The sting from being flicked wore off quickly. "My thoughts _were_ a little fuzzy. Thanks, I'll try to keep thinking positive thoughts."

Luna nodded. "That is the best way of treating wrackspurt infections. I was hoping to startle it, but I see I startled you too."

"Yeah," she agreed. Eri looked back at the tree root to see the bowtruckle's progress on tidying up, but it had left sometime during her daydream. "C'mon, Lu. We should be getting back to our mums. I kinda want something sweet."

Luna hummed but said nothing. They made the short walk to their mothers in companionable silence, Eri stopping every now and then when a tree caught her eye. She'd stare at it, halfway expecting it to nod in acknowledgement or something, before moving on.

Persephone and Pandora were still under the apple tree (it bore the sweetest golden apples but right now held only flowers), giggling where the children had left them. Uncle Xeno was suspiciously absent.

"Mummy," Luna exclaimed. "We found a family of bowtruckles! They were on the tree by the creek."

"Oh," Pandora questioned, ohhing at all the right places as she listened to Luna's story.

"Dani," her mother called, reaching up and pulling her daughter into her lap. "You seem awfully quiet. Did you not like the bowtruckles?"

Eri shook her head. Why wouldn't she like the bowtruckles?

"Mummy."

Her mother looked at her in the eyes. Good, she was paying attention. Eri could always tell when she was truly interested in what she had to say or just humoring her. She could tell with most adults. They almost always never really listened. She hated it, but at least Mummy treated her seriously. Most of the time.

"Can the trees here talk?"

Persephone hummed and sent a glance in Pandora's direction.

"Well," she started, hands tapping her leg, "no. At least, not in the sense that you and I speak to each other."

Eri tilted her head. "Do they speak in other ways?"

"Ehhh, I don't really know, sweetie." Persephone ran a hand through her hair. Or tried to at least. About three-quarters of the way through her hair, her hand got snagged and she had to tug it out. Judging by the accompanying wince, Eri thought it must have been painful.

"But," her mother continued, "even if they don't speak, it doesn't mean they aren't self-aware. There's all sorts of plants that move on their own and defend themselves when they feel threatened. Look at the snargaluff in our back garden. And, when you and Luna go to Hogwarts in four years, you'll get to see all sorts of sentient plants. There's a tree there, the Whomping Willow, which will attack any that approaches it."

"Really?!" Eri asked. "Did someone teach it how to move? Maybe if we find a special spell or potion, it can talk too. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a conversation with? Maybe we—"

"Whoa, whoa. Hold your dragons, there," Pandora interjected. "Your mum never said anything about that tree being taught to move. Which it wasn't."

Eri slumped in her mother's lap.

"That doesn't mean that isn't an interesting question to ask," she continued. "Maybe one day you'll find something that does just that. There's a shortage of witches running experiments to discover new spells and potions; the world could use another, especially one as bright as you. But experimenting like that is dangerous—"

"And we don't want to hear about you doing anything of the sort until after you've passed your N.E.W.T.s," Persephone finished.

"What's a N.E.W.T.?" Luna interjected.

Pandora opened her mouth—

And was cut off by a loud groan. The four ladies turned to see Xenophilius approaching. Eri noticed that he was wearing a different shirt than previously. The one he wore earlier had been such a lovely shade of purple with lots of ruffles and pockets. This one was decidedly ghastly, all orange with small buttons and precarious stich work.

"A N.E.W.T., my little moon, is something I don't want to hear you talk about for many years to come. In fact, I'd rather you never learned about them. You should just stay this small and be daddy's little witch forever."

Giggling, Luna raced into her father's arms and let him spin her around. Eri watched from her mother's lap. Something heavy settled in her gut as she observed the scene. Maybe she wasn't hungry after all? Before her eyes, she saw white blonde hair turn golden. An ugly orange shirt turned into blazing armor. Xeno's laugh became less raspy and more melodic, smooth and light.

Eri felt tears welling up in her eyes, further distorting the vision before her.

"Ow!" Disbelievingly, she turned to see another offending appendage just before her eyes.

"Pan!" her mummy cried out. "What in Merlin's name was that for?"

Pandora blinked at the two brunettes innocently.

"Oh, sorry. I thought I saw a wrackspurt fly into Dani's ear."

She sounded so tranquil, as if smacking wrackspurt-infected children on the head was perfectly acceptable and normal. Eri burst out laughing and Persephone sighed, running her fingers over Eri's forehead.

Her family was odd (and incomplete), but Eri loved each and every one of them. Even if Draco was sometimes mean to her.


	6. Reunited Pt 1

**Reunited—Glorfindel**

He'd been feeling anxious for the past fortnight. Jittery and impatient. Sitting at the table in Ecthelion's kitchen, Glorfindel looked for some task. More than once, he'd stood to help clean or put away items but a withering glare from his old friend stayed his hand.

"Is there anything I can—" he started.

"No," Ecthelion cut in dryly. "There isn't. Just like there wasn't anything ten minutes ago."

Glorfindel shifted in his seat. He did feel poorly about being a nuisance but he couldn't help but feel on the brink. He did not know what of. Sighing, he resigned himself to counting the grains in the wooden table.

"And would you _cease_ that infernal tapping," Ecthelion demanded after a moment.

Only his years of training and experience in battle kept Glorfindel from displaying just how startled he'd been by Ecthelion's outburst. His eyes darted to the forefinger of his right hand, stilling it instantly. He hadn't realized he'd been moving. Though it only made sense—his mind and heart were racing, urging the rest of him to realize what was making him so… So…

"Forgive me, friend," he said at last, turning to Ecthelion with defeat in his shoulders. "Something has been stirring in me these last weeks but I know not its identity or how to make it leave me be."

His dark-haired friend frowned and set aside the herbs he'd been curing to sit at the table with Glorfindel.

"I knew you were not feeling yourself, but I thought you would have spoken of such a thing sooner," he chided, setting his hand on Glorfindel's arm. "Tell me, has Manwe been sending you dark dreams? You have always been strong in bond with the Valar. Do the forces of Morgoth draw near?"

Glorfindel shook his head. "Nay, I have received no visions nor do I believe my disquiet to be the work of Morgoth. Something else… I do not know what… disturbs my heart."

Ecthelion's frown deepened. "Perhaps you should seek a healer, then." Glorfindel looked up at him in shock but Ecthelion held his words off with a raised hand. "Peace, brother, I say this not because I do not believe your troubles but because I do. Perhaps your fea senses something you have not yet realized."

Glorfindel gave Ecthelion an unreadable look. "I do not believe their tinctures and ointments will aid me."

"There's no shame in—"

"No, there isn't. But there is no need, either." With that, Glorfindel stood and wrapped the cloak draped behind his chair across his shoulders. Ecthelion also stood, brows furrowed.

"Friend," he started. Glorfindel could hear the contrite in his voice and grasped his friend's shoulder.

"I am not upset," he explained, "so worry not. 'tis just I had a sudden urge to take a walk. The breeze will clear my head and calm my heart."

"If it will ease your mind," Ecthelion agreed, grasping Glorfindel's other shoulder in farewell.

They shared a small smile.

"I will see you in the morrow." Giving one last friendly pat, Glorfindel turned and made for the gardens.

.

Mindful of the position of the sun (it was high but had not yet reached its zenith), Glorfindel decided it was best to stay within the limits of the hidden city and made toward the Alley of Roses. In the entire of Gondolin, a white city gleaming with light and full of beautiful architecture, he thought this road to be the loveliest sight. Right now, the sun was high and few of his brethren were out, probably taking fast in their own halls or performing daily tasks. He was alone in a sea of blazing flowers, their scent strong but not overpowering or oppressive.

 _Eridani would have loved this place_ , he thought as he often did when he walked along its paths. He could almost hear her tinkling laugh as she darted between bushes, peering into the prickly fronds, looking for nixies or brownies or what other creatures she imagined the flowering bushes to house. Never in his years, in Aman or Arda, had he seen any of the creatures she described (he was especially disturbed by Eri's description of gnomes and how her mother de-gnomed their gardens), but he delighted in hearing her describe them, seeing her face light up with excitement at her possible finds.

In the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of ebony and pale blue. He quickly turned to face the intruder but only saw a rose bush sitting innocently. He heard a high-pitched laugh to his left, the voice tinny and rambunctious but sounding distant. Like his sensitive ears were submerged in water. Glorfindel's head turned wildly in all directions, searching for the ghost-like figure. There, under an archway of roses, he saw the back a small, child-like figure run past. She was definitely a female but he was jarred. The little girl acted hale and healthy but he could see through her, as if she were a sheer covering. Her movements were odd, sporadically making large and sudden leaps to the side, at times mindful of the thorny bushes or passing through at others. Her movements seemed to gradually become more and more aware of the rose bushes as she frolicked as she gradually became more corporeal until, at last, she was solid and slowly stopped running about. In truth, the whole occurrence—from his first peripheral viewing to her slow halt—lasted maybe one minute but time, which seemed to have slowed as he watched her, suddenly returned to normal speed and left him reeling.

Her back still facing him, Glorfindel observed the child. She was small, coming perhaps to his hip (if only just), and long black locks—curled delicately down her back—were in disarray from her flighty movements. She was in a pale blue dress that fell just above her ankles (he couldn't tell if that was due to the design or if she had just had a growth spurt), showing off her bare feet. Her breath came out in fast, soft gasps, probably still recovering from her play.

Her head moved gently from side to side, looking about the Alley in a curious and precursory nature.

"W-where?" she asked softly.

Clearing his throat, he called out to the strange child. Her entire body jumped at the sound and she hastily turned about. Or tried to, at least. She fell back onto her backside.

"Owwww," she moaned, hands rubbing her side as she observed the new grass stains on her gown.

"N- cin eithel?" he asked, quickly crouching beside the child. _Are you well?_

"Sindarin?" the child gasped, quickly looking up at the ellon before her.

Stunned, Glorfindel stared into gray eyes he had not seen in over two and a half centuries, eyes he had missed for over two and a half centuries. He knew them at a glance and quickly wrapped the girl in his arms.

"Ai, Elbereth!" he cried, feeling tears come to his eyes. "Eridani, cin n- bar!" _You are home!_


	7. Reunited Pt 2

**Reunited—Eridani**

"And you have to behave, do you hear?"

Eridani sent her mother an incredulous look. Beside her stood Kreacher, her grandmother's house elf, with her luggage. The surly elf looked even more displeased than usual at being further delayed (he was waiting for the mini-Missus to give him the small box of bric-a-brac she'd gathered last minute).

"Are you really asking _me_ —"

Pandora (because, of course, it was) popped out from behind Eri and squished her to her bosom.

"That?" she finished, deadpan while bearing the antics of her mother's best friend. Pandora was currently rubbing her cheek against the top of Eri's head.

"Oh, shush," Pandora cried. "Don't listen to her lies. Just the other day, she and Luna had filled all of the spaces under our chairs and sofa with pans of milk."

Eri felt her face flush as Persephone sent an accusing glance her way.

"There were doxies hiding down there. They kept tying the laces of Luna's, er, trainees?"

"Trainers, dear," Pandora corrected.

"Pan!" Persephone looked aghast. "Why did you not say anything? I'm sorry. Honestly, I don't know what goes through her head sometimes."

Out of the corner of her eye, Eri saw Kreacher violently crossed his arms and began tapping his foot. He _had_ been waiting on her for a good deal longer than she told Gran to expect.

Pandora threw her head back with a laugh. Eri knew because when Pandora laughed, she laughed with her entire body and, as she was still in Pandora's arms, she also tilted back.

"It was fine. Xeno and I were just a bit miffed they didn't properly document their little experiment. Maybe if we could see if the amount of milk taken from each pan had any effect on…"

 _And, really_ , Eri thought (she learned how to tune Pandora's tangents out before she re-learned English), _it isn't like I_ meant _to delay Kreacher. I just kept remembering some things I would like to take with me. Like my new book I haven't finished or that muggle trinket Luna gave me for my birthday._

Eridani wasn't likely to read much (if any) of her new magizoology book or play with the odd bottle cap in her short stay with the Lovegoods, but when she saw them as she left her room Eri couldn't bear to leave them behind. Same with her pretty beaded bracelet and purple hair tie.

 _But_ , she decided, _I_ might _need them and Mummy always says to be prepared for anything._

Reassured of her commitment to her worldly possessions, Eri nodded and opened her mouth.

"—and the repercussions could be—"

"Kreacher," Eridani cut in, unaware of the adults' talking, "here." She held her arms out with her box of precious trinkets. "I'm sorry I didn't notice you were waiting on them."

The elderly house elf hobbled over and swiftly took them. Eri thought it was very good of her to ignore his angry mutterings as he walked away. With one final harrumph, Kreacher stood by the assembled luggage, all of it finally accounted for.

"Missus, mini-Missus," he said gruffly in farewell before snapping his fingers and disapparating.

"Huh," Persephone muttered. "Forgot he was still here."

Eri looked at her mother, surprised.

"Don't look at me like that," Persephone scolded. Sighing, she walked forward and placed a kiss on Eri's forehead. "Be a good girl, Dani. I'll see you in a few days."

Eri smiled up at her, still limply hanging in Pandora's grasp.

"Bye, Mummy! I love you!"

.

Eridani always enjoyed visiting the Lovegoods. Not just because they were a lot of fun (though that was a major influence) but also because she loved their house: the Rookery. Shaped like a giant rook from Wizard's chess, each floor was its own room connected by one long, spiral staircase. The first floor was the kitchen whose cabinets curved along the wall perfectly. The walls were bright, featuring paintings of flora and fauna lovingly created by Luna. One or two were later additions of Eri's. Above that was the family room (and Xenophilius' supposed "work place" but Eri had never seen him do any actual work in it), slightly smaller than the kitchen beneath it (though that was probably more because of clutter than anything else). She never spent much time in it, following Luna into her room or outside to go on adventures, though she did like to browse the Lovegoods' vast book collection. The bookshelf had long since been overstuffed and books of all shapes, sizes, and topics created leaning towers on the floor and any available surface. More than a few times, Eri was startled from sleep in the middle of the night (or early morning) by the noise of a sudden collapse. Usually, it was Xeno buried beneath the rubble.

Luna's room was directly above the family room and it was Eri's favorite, if only because she visited it the most frequently. It was in this room, on this blue carpet, that Eri sat reading one of Uncle Xeno's earlier editions of _The Quibbler_ when she was struck by marvelous inspiration.

"Lu," she demanded. "Do you think Dorothy is still open to correspondence?"

Luna, who had been on her stomach painting some… squiggly… something, looked up and gave Dani a concerning stare before rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling (which was painted a lovely assortment of vivid shapes and colors that formed a larger portrait of a swirly forest) and crossed her ankles.

"Dorothy the Dimension Witch? I can see the parallels between her travels to Oz and yours to Arda, but Daddy said she was very… displeased to talk about her adventure. Mummy said it was because she was very old and old people find some memories more painful after a long time than they were when they were fresh…" She trailed off, eyes seeing something beyond her (very, very, highly-distractingly-so, very colorful) ceiling.

Eridani waited a beat to see if Luna had merely lost her train of thought and was returning to central station before deciding to just continue. "I don't get it."

Luna hummed. "Me neither, but perhaps there's a perception filter for these age-related topics."

Eridani scribbled the hypothesis down on a corner of the edition (Auntie Pandora always stressed the importance of documenting every part of a scientific investigation, but Dani wasn't so great at organizing her thoughts let alone keeping them in complete sentences or even compiled in one—or several—notebooks.)

"Still," she continued, "we could see if it's possible to recreate her method of travel. After all, falling through a tornado is sort of like apparating but on a much larger sca—"

Eri shot up, "Of course!" Running to her prone best friend, she grabbed Luna's hand and dragged her up and behind. "Let's go!"

Racing down the stair, passing through family room, ignoring the indelicate yelp emerging from underneath a stack of books and tomes that inexplicably fell over during the commotion, and exiting the kitchen, the two blurs of yellow-paler yellow and black-pale blue leapt onto the Lovegoods' front garden.

"Into the hedges, Dani! We can reenact the northern and southern winds that lifted the Dimension Witch's house perfectly!"

Giggling madly, the girls playfully ran at each other from opposite ends of the lines of hedges, meeting at the almost-center (Eri was just a touch taller than Luna and covered more distance) and chasing each other in a wild circle. Hands darted out, searching for weak points to tickle the other, bodies darted away, and the dance rapidly devolved into a (vicious) round of tag-and-tickle. Despite being the taller and faster (and probably clumsier as a consequence) of the two, Eri was quickly being overcome by Luna's remarkably nimble fingers (probably because Luna often used her hands to rid Eri of wrackspurts). Squealing, Eri began her evasive maneuvers about the hedges, suddenly jumping to avoid random rose bushes that she could've _sworn_ weren't there earlier. More and more often (though really in no time at all), the odd roses became more common and Luna's tenacious fingers… had stopped.

Coming to a stop (because science, but also… breathing), Eri stared uncomprehendingly at the absolute mass of roses forming delicate arches and lining the paths and… body moving to her line of vision…

"W-where—" _am I?_

Behind her, a noise. She tried to spin around to face it, but her ankle rolled underneath her (hey, she was weak from exertion) and she fell in heap.

"Owwww." She rubbed her hip (it was impolite to check on her rear in public).

" _N- cin eithel?_ "

Distantly, as if dreaming but she was awake (wasn't she?), she recognized the lilt and tone and voice and—no, it wasn't possible. But it was "Sindarin?" she gasped. She looked up and… No. Nononono it was a cruel trick. She must've spun too quickly and hit her head on a stone and any minute now Auntie Pan would _enervate_ her and—and she was in his arms and he was so _warm_ and it felt _so real_ , but…

" _Ai, Elbereth! Eridani,_ you're home!"

(A/N: her inner translator kicked in)

Was it… Did it actually?! Absently, she noted the apparition was talking to her and now his hands were on her shoulders and he was looking into her eyes but…

"Eri, are you… well? You don't seem… Eri?"

Eridani searched his eyes, giving each blue one an assessing look, before moving onto his golden hair. She reached out a hand and touched the strands, felt their softness—they were tangible and soft and smooth and _just like_ she _remembered_.

Softly, so softly, she whispered (afraid to break the illusion), "Laurefindel?"

He took her hands in his. She studied the appendages. They were still so large and dwarfed her own but not like they once did, but she knew those calluses and that cut… She knew that cut. Sharply, she looked up. Her heart was fluttering in her chest (distantly she wondered if tapping her heels together would send her back to Britain and Luna and Mummy) but hope and belief were building.

"'findel, is it you?"

He smiled gently (oh so gently) and his eyes twinkled. "Aye, 'tis me, _penneth_."

Sobbing, she jumped into his arms, fully embracing him like he had her and cried harder when his arms circled her too. She was crying and he was crying and the sun was so bright and the flowers were so beautiful and she was home.

 **Separated/Reunited—Luna**

Her first memories of Eridani Black were of a small, stumbling faerie-like creature with so much to say in her large, grey eyes but no words with which to convey them. But it was okay because those trademark Black eyes said it all: frustration, giddiness, crippling fear and anxiety, hesitance, hope. The worst moments were in those beginning days, weeks, months. Auntie Persephone needed all the help she could get so her and Mummy spent many nights over (Daddy was usually off for his _Quibbler_ work). Dani had night terrors all the time back then. Not every night, but most of them. And usually more than once per night during her rare bad fits. Dani would wake up shrieking and crying, but the only words in English she could use to describe what she saw were "cold" and "hungry."

They denied it, but Luna saw the despair in Auntie Persephone's and Lady Walburga Black's faces. They didn't think Dani was going to get better—not without series help from St. Mungo's at least—but she _did_ get better. Slowly. Surely. Dani got stronger.

Her parents being who they are, Luna was used—indoctrinated, some might say—to viewing the world with wide, open eyes. Ready to take in anything, eager for new and exciting things to learn. So it should come as no surprise that her family (but herself most readily) believed Dani's tales of Arda. Mummy resisted longest in being won over (out of stubbornness or what, Luna wasn't sure), but Dani didn't give contrary or vague answers and her story was definitely real enough to her. There was no scientific reason Luna could come up with to _not_ believer her, so believe Luna did. And question. And document.

No, she didn't have proof. Not until that fateful summer visit that almost was like all the previous visits. But it wasn't like the other visits. They had been playing in the garden. Luna was definitely dominating their game of tag-and-tickle when Dani started flickering before her eyes. There wasn't any other way Luna could have described the experience but that one moment Dani was fading in and out before she disappeared altogether. She was only gone for a couple minutes—more than one but less than three—before reappearing in different clothes with a different hairstyle (the braids were very pretty but would look much better with some radishes and bottle caps, Luna privately decided) and a dazed expression.

They stared at each other for a moment. Luna blinked slowly and gave Dani another look over before she smiled widely.

"Welcome back, Dani. Did you have a nice trip? It seems like you've been gone a while."


	8. Uneven Steps

**Uneven steps—Eridani**

At first, Eridani was as overjoyed as her dear 'Findel. She embraced him tightly, cried with joy as he did, giggled wildly as he spun her about in his arms, celebrated and made merry with the other elleth and ellon (though she really only knew but a few of them and thought it quite silly they acted like _they'd_ been the ones waiting for her for however long she'd been gone). But then they went home and suddenly there was quiet, both in her heart and in the empty, empty house that Laurefindel had built. Without the distraction of giddy elves and tinkling music, she took a moment to process the… the (honestly, how could she even begin to describe to herself the happenstances that had occurred)… the _weirdness_ of the day.

Laurefindel busied himself about the small domicile by hurriedly straightening already orderly bric-a-bracs and dusting clean surfaces, all the while glancing over at her before turning away. Well, she said 'busying' and very deliberately did _not_ think 'fretting' (one could never be too careful with their thoughts, you know. Especially a Black.). Her eyes catalogued the walls and furniture. All in all, it was a lovely home. The walls were made of a white stone—much like the rest of the city—but the abundance of light and greenery gave it a warm feeling. She saw added touches carved in the stone. Butterflies and ivy blended in among the true plants, peeking out behind charming leaves. At a glance, the carvings were all different and dispersed at different levels throughout the room (and she could see some bending around the hallway off to the side to continue throughout the home). But, upon closer inspection, Dani could see that most were placed about two or three feet off the ground. At the perfect level to beguile children. For _her_ amusement and delight. Looking around, she saw the smaller, child-friendly chairs and benches. The stools placed in key corners. The windows elongated. They were unusually long for all elves—even the children—are tall. Even without going further into the house, she knew her bedroom (which 'Findel had proudly told her, and anyone who would listen, was all ready for her) was equally fitted to accommodate her smaller stature. The smaller stature she had all but grown out of.

How could her heart feel so full and so empty at the same time?

Unbidden, tears came forth in her eyes and she felt all the strength go out of her. But she didn't hit the ground. Arms wrapped around her and pulled her tight to the warm, warm sun she had never forgotten. A small hiccoughing laugh escaped her though the tears still sprang forth. It seems 'Findel had dropped the pretense and he was just as hurt and uncertain as she.

"Eri, sweet one," he cried, fingers rubbing under her eyes. "Don't cry. Please, my heart cannot bear them. Shhh, shhhh. All is well."

He sounded so flustered and his eyes showed his panic so clearly, Dani couldn't help but giggle wetly. The scene reminded her of the time Draco forgot himself and accidentally shoved her too hard, causing her to scrape her palms and knees. At the time, she'd been unable to properly articulate in English, so she could only cry. Draco wasn't truly mean-spirited and had acted so guilty and abashed (though a larger part had probably been more worried about retribution from their mums for making a lady cry at the time) as he tried to ease her tears. Thinking of the similarities between her cousin and her… 'Findel (a quiet corner of her mind whispered a different title) lightened her heart just a little and her tears began to slow. As her tears slowed to a trickle, so too did her hiccoughs and she just started at Laurefindel. He stared back, eyes darting from her left eye to her right and back again.

"Missed you," she whispered at last. Had she already told him? So much had happened, she couldn't really remember what all she had said to him. Or he to her.

He gave her a soft smile. "I missed you too, _penneth_."

Her eyes fell to the side and she studied the base of a wall. "But I was also… angry."

'Findel hummed, picking her up and walking to one of the chairs. He sat on a cushion and settled her more comfortably in his lap. His hands rubbed soothing circles on her back and she gathered courage to face him once more (the new position disallowed her to study the corner she had previously chosen as the rallying point for her eyes).

"Can you tell me what happened?" She stared into his eyes, equal parts of her both pleased and displeased she was unable to perform legilimancy to determine his truth of the experience.

"What I believe happened, I only know because it is what my heart tells me to be true," he told her seriously. "I can promise you no certainties."

She nodded as he shifted beneath her.

"Eridani, you appeared out of nowhere during one of the bleakest times we, the Eldar, have ever known. At the time, many mistook you for a servant of the kinslayers. A distraction. A deceiver. Dangerous." Dani continued to look in 'Findel's eyes though his were glazed over and seemed to be looking beyond her. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened and looked at her once again. She startled a little but tried to keep her face and her heart steady and smooth. "But I and a few others didn't. And in time, the ones who once dismissed you looked back and also saw you for what you were and have ever been. A gift. A blessing." Laurefindel smiled softly at her and took hold of her hand. She hadn't noticed until then that it was trembling. "In the darkest nights and through the coldest days, you were warm and happy and hopeful. Perhaps it is because you did not know the pain of the devastating cold nor the intense hunger we felt. Perhaps it is because your heart is strong and gentle. Perhaps it is because you are inherently _magic_. No matter, if it wasn't for you, many of us would be much more changed by the long walk of our exile. We would be darker. Colder. More bitter and angry."

And then, Dani saw something she had never seen—nor expected to see—in her protector's eyes. A shadow of something haunted him. Something that had occurred after she left (or because she left).

"'Findel?"

Laurefindel blinked and focused on her once more. A small smile graced his lips.

"Others were not so fortunate," was all he added. Dani shifted uncomfortably in his lap. That told her nothing at all.

"But what happened to _me_ , 'Findel? Why is this happening _to me_?"

"Ah! Yes, I was getting there."

He had so _not_ been getting there, Dani thought mulishly.

"I think the Valar have been directing you," he continued on. "After all, you appeared in a time of great turmoil and never aged throughout the long years." Here, he gave a meaningful look at her significant growth before resuming his speech. "And you were sent back once we were settled. Now you have returned, though I have yet to decide whether it was for our benefit or for yours."

Here, she gave him a confused look. For her benefit? But she was Edain not Eldar. 'Findel gave her a reassuring smile (Dani thought he had the market cornered on smiles that said different things).

"The Valar are not so unkind as to throw your life into disarray if it was not beneficial to you too, dear Eri."

She was not sure she had the same convictions as him. Her eyes fell off to the side again and she picked at the skirt of her dress.

"It was not easy for me when I was sent back," she started. 'Findel hummed, urging her to continue. "I had forgotten my mother tongue and almost entirely forgot my mother. It was… difficult to connect with her. And sometimes, I still feel apart from her no matter how hard she and I both try." She felt pressure build up in her chest and behind her eyes, but no tears came forth. She had used up all her tears and was left with only hurt and exhaustion. "It had been so long—so _very_ long—for me. Centuries, I think. But not for her. And she couldn't understand why I was… and I couldn't _tell her_ and I couldn't find you anywhere and you promised—you _promised_! I waited for you every day and every day you never showed up and I didn't—still don't—understand but it hurts, 'Findel. I _hurt_. And I—I—"

Oh, so she wasn't out of tears. She still had quite a lot left, actually. Funny, how she could think so clearly while her body was overcome by shuddering and gasping breaths and tears and snot—sorry, 'Findel, for using you like a handkerchief—all the while poor Laurefindel tried to soothe her. Distantly, she appreciated his efforts in an out-of-body thought process kind of way (if that makes any sense. Read: It didn't make sense).

At some point (she wasn't sure when), she found herself with her head resting on his shoulder and their cheeks touching. Hands patted her back in a rhythm she vaguely remembered as he rocked her back and forth. His hair tickled her ear and the corner of her eye but she ignored it (for now). Really, she was much too big to be comforted like this (read: like a baby) but she'd allow it because 'Findel probably didn't realize how much bigger and more grown up she was. And even if he did, she reasoned, he probably didn't have much experience with Edain children to understand the subtleties of comforting them through all the different ages (not that Dani knew either, but still. She was sure it wasn't supposed to be like this.).

"I told Mummy about you and some of our adventures," she said at last. She felt more than heard his answering hum. "For a long time, she wouldn't really listen. And when she finally did, she didn't really believe. But Lu—Luna, that is. She's my bestest friend and god-sister—and her mum and da did. Well, Auntie Pan never really _said_ so but I know she does because she asks Uncle Xeno questions to ask me. She can't just come out and say it because Mummy is _her_ bestest friend and there's some weird _code_ that—well, yeah, but that's beside the point. Mummy and my gran said you weren't real."

Here, she buried her face into 'Findel's shoulder. Her voice came out muffled. "And sometimes, I also thought… maybe it wasn't real. And you weren't coming."


End file.
